Devonny Ch. 08

"Isabella?" Gabriel inquired roughly.

Elijah nodded. "But that's not the worst of it. They were riding in the company of a Monsieur Andre Rochard."

Eli's statement was met with silence. The tension between the three was palpable. Devonny squirmed inwardly.

Gabriel cleared his throat. His voice was low. "Perhaps we should discuss this privately in the study. Devonny?"

She wrapped her arms around herself and gave a noncommittal shrug.

She considered not following them when the men moved towards the main staircase but Eli noticed her hesitation and grasped her hand and pulled her along behind him, leading her towards the study.

Once in the expansive library Eli led her to an armchair but did not seat himself. Gabriel, too, remained standing.

The two brothers stood side by side, arms crossed, sharing the same examining expression as they looked at her.

Devonny squirmed inwardly, her gaze switching between the two, at first confused and then indignant. A slight line appeared between her brows and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well are you going to just stand there looking at me like that or did you have some wisdom you wished to impart? Fiat perhaps?"

Gabriel and Eli exchanged glances.

Devonny scowled. "Say something. Please."

Gabriel frowned and looked at Eli. "Do you think he followed her here?"

Eli's expression turned dark. "It's possible. But it's a season in the country. Anyone with the means retires to the country. It could simply be a coincidence."

"Coincidence or not," Gabriel grumbled, "he knows she's here." He eyed Eli speculatively. "What was your impression of the man?"

Eli glanced briefly at Devonny who was glaring at them both. "He seems... fixated on her. He seemed downright enraged when I inserted myself between them. I'm certain he'll try to see her again."

"Excuse me," Devonny rose to her feet. "But I don't care to be ignored in a conversation that regards my own welfare."

Both men looked at her with blank expressions.

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Well what do you expect me to do? Lock myself in my room?"

They seemed to consider this.

She fixed them each in turn with a defiant stare. "No." She gritted her teeth. "Absolutely not. I am not going to let that man make me a prisoner, so you can forget about it." She drew herself upward and lifted her chin. "To be quite honest, it is none of your affair." She smoothed her skirts absently and swallowed thickly. "If you will excuse me."

"Devonny," Eli reached for her but she deftly skirted his grasp.

She dropped a curtsey. "Good day, sirs." And she swept from the room.

Eli and Gabriel looked after her. Eli glanced at his brother, taking in the look of consternation on his face. "You haven't told her have you?" Eli's voice was solemn.

Gabriel's dark brows drew together. "About Rochard?" He shook his head. "No. I didn't want to frighten her more than necessary." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't consider that he might be here, otherwise I might have been more watchful."

Eli grimaced. "She's headstrong, Gabe. Impetuous, too. She needs to be told otherwise she might not fully understand the danger. And you need to be the one to do it." A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I feel as though I lack any sort of authoritative clout with her.

Gabriel nodded absently to himself. "Of course."

Eli clapped him on the shoulder, suddenly good natured. "Wonderful. I'll see you at dinner then."

***

Devonny sat at her vanity staring at her reflection in the mirror as she plaited her hair into a thick dark braid over her shoulder. Her fingers moved idly as she considered the planes of her face in the low light of the oil lamp. Her face was oval shaped and pleasing with high cheekbones. Her eyes were almond shaped and fringed by thick black lashes, their amber color giving her a decidedly exotic look. Her nose was piquant and straight. Her lips were full, her upper and lower lips almost equal in proportion. Her hair was dark—almost black—though sunlight revealed deep brown and auburn tones. She was pleasant enough to look at, she knew, but Rochard's prolonged and persistent interest in her was unfathomable.

She frowned at her reflection. He was a man who could have any woman or courtesan in England, and yet he pursued her with a singular intent. It was both bewildering and frightening. She fully believed that her encounter with him that day was purely coincidental, though she wasn't so naive as to believe that he wouldn't seek her out now that he knew her whereabouts, no matter what threats Gabriel and Eli offered.

The soft tapping at her door jarred her from her thoughts, causing her to jump slightly. She quickly tied a ribbon around the end of her braid and slipped her dressing gown over her night dress.

She opened her door, for once none too surprised to find Gabriel standing there. She'd assumed that a lecture was coming but he'd waited hours before coming to her. He stood stiffly in the hall, hands behind his back. "Devonny," he acknowledged simply, his deep voice betraying nothing.

Devonny blinked at him. "Gabriel," she returned, her tone just as formal and aloof as his own.

Gabriel lifted one obsidian brow. "I would speak to you if I may. Perhaps we can return to the—"

Instead Devonny cocked her head and simply held the door to her room open. There was a decided challenge in her amber gaze as she looked at him. If he was determined to hold to decorum, she would make it as difficult for him as possible and push the limits of his control.

Gabriel made no move to enter. His cool emerald gaze switched to her face. "I think it would be best if..."

"Gabriel," she sighed. "I'm in my bed clothes. I don't think it seemly that I wander about the house with you as such."

He was caught slightly off guard by the way she sighed his name. He frowned, nodded and stepped around her to enter her bedroom.

Devonny wrapped her dressing gown tighter around her and gestured for him to have a seat in the sitting area. He seated himself upon the settee while she sank into the armchair across from him awaiting whatever edict he was going to pass down.

Gabriel leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped. I didn't truly meet her gaze. Instead his gaze was distant and unfocused.

"Gabriel?" Devonny ventured when moments passed without him speaking. His dark green gaze lifted to her face and the corner of his finely sculpted lips curved upwards slightly at his name on her lips. Not 'sir', but Gabriel.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I was simply thinking of the best way to tell you this."

Devonny's unease was growing. "Tell me what?"

Gabriel leaned back in his seat, his eyes roaming over her speculatively as though he were taking her measure. He frowned slightly, his impossibly green gaze settling on her face. "I would not have you think that I have not had your safety in mind, or that I had forgotten my promise to you."

She cocked her head slightly. "Your promise?"

Gabriel nodded solemnly. "My promise that I would allow no harm to come to you. After that day in London, when you first told me of Rochard, I hired someone, an investigator of sorts." He watched astonishment flicker in Devonny's amber gaze and she shifted slightly in her seat. "Rochard came to London by way of Paris last year. He's wealthy and had a prominent place in society there."

"Had?" Devonny frowned at his choice of words.

Gabriel grimaced. "It seems Monsieur Rochard has always had a way of having many women, many of them courtesans. It'ss not uncommon for a man of his wealth in Paris. Although there are hints that his whims with regards to those relationships were not always..." Gabriel's voice trailed off as he searched for the correct word. "Gentle."

Devonny was silent. Gabriel watched her lovely gaze go distant as he continued. "However, despite whatever rumors, Rochard was rich enough and charming enough that the rumors were regarded as just that, rumors. Rochard was paying court to a young woman. She was from a good family, uncommonly beautiful, wealthy and most sought after in society. However once they were betrothed, it would seem that Rochard saw fit to force himself upon her use her as he would one of his light-skirts. Appalled by his... caprice ...the girl refused to marry him. She was ruined, however, and forced to retire from society. Rochard was not left unscathed. No mama will let him near their daughters no matter how fat his purse is. Over the years mistresses have disappeared, whether they have fled from him or whether something more distressing has happened to them I do not know." A muscle ticked in Gabriel's jaw. "I've had my investigator keep an eye on him while in London. However, I did not think it necessary when we came to Kedleston. I'm afraid I did not consider that he might be here. I apologize for that oversight."

Devonny gaze was still distant she idly toyed with the length of her braid as she mentally sorted through all that Gabriel had just told her. When she looked into his face he seemed to be bracing himself for some sort of feminine outburst. But her voice was level and quiet. "Do you think him dangerous?"

Gabriel returned her look seriously. "I think that if he has fixed his attentions on you...and I believe he has, then yes, I think him dangerous."

Her voice then wavered. "What would you have me do?"

Gabriel ran a rough hand through his dark hair and shook his head before looking at her steadily. "I would have you ride with me tomorrow."

Her startled gaze flew to his. "Ride with you?"

Gabriel grinned at her expression. She looked both stunned and taken aback. "Yes," he replied smoothly. "Ride with me. I would show you how to defend yourself."

Devonny's honey gaze widened. "Defend myself? Sir, I—"

Gabriel held up a hand to halt her. "Eli and I cannot watch over you every moment of every day."

Devonny frowned. "Nor would I expect you to."

"And as such I don't want you to be helpless," he returned. His tone brooked no argument, nor did his dark peridot gaze waver.

Devonny lifted her chin but nodded her assent.

Gabriel rose to his feet. "I'll meet you by the stables after breakfast."

"Of course," Devonny moved to the door and held it open for him. "Good night, sir."

Gabriel moved past her, careful not to brush against her. "Good night, Devonny."

Closing the door behind him, Devonny leaned against the sturdy oak surface. She absently rubbed the flesh on back of her hand. Rochard's kiss seemed to linger there like a brand. She knew, just as Gabriel seemed to, that Rochard was not simply going to let her go.